Tis the Season

Here we go again. We’re being told about another group tearing at the essence of our culture. We’re told we have to defend ourselves against this terrible atrocity that is taking place, threatening our freedoms.

Yes, that’s right, we’re told we have to defend Christmas.

The Christian Right has taken it upon themselves (and I’m grateful for this, I might add – I thrive on their uncanny ability to display their own ignorance) to wage a war on the holiday season, claiming it is the Christmas season and we (the left, I suppose) are taking the "Christ" out of Christmas.

Before we go any further, I would like to point out two things. First, I am not a Christian. I was raised Roman Catholic and had decided that Catholic school was enough religion for any person and have since renounced it. That said, I believe a man existed approximately 2,000 years ago who was not unlike a Jewish Ghandi or Martin Luther King. His words of wisdom are certainly words we all could learn from.

Second, I am a firm believer that anyone who practices a religion has a right to do so. It is one of the wonderful aspects about being an American that we can have multiple faiths.

So let’s go back to this war on Christmas. They say we’re taking the "Christ" out of Christmas. Let’s look a bit further into this, shall we?

Jesus was born during the reign of Herod in the time of a large census. In addition, a great star could be seen in the sky at the time of his birth.

Christendom would have you believe this took place December 24th and 25th of 1AD. That’s great except for a couple of minor issues.

The big census that took place during Herod’s reign came in 4 BCE. A couple of years off, I’d say. In addition, the census was a spring issue – which would also explain the big star (apparently a phenomena that takes place every so often took place during this time – pretty neat).

So all these years, the Christian Right have been celebrating Jesus’ birthday seven months late. You think he likes belated birthdays?

So why December 25th?

Winter Solstice.

That’s right. The Winter Solstice was cause for huge celebrations among the pagan Europeans. In order to sell their religion (even then, Christmas was commercialized), the Church had to incorporate the festivities of other religions to ultimately demolish them.

Romans celebrated Saturnalia by feasting with friends and family and gifts
Lights? Ever hear of Hanukkah?
Yule Logs? The Vikings celebrated Yule as a holiday to celebrate the winter solstice.
Trees and holly and mistletoe? Germanic tribes.

My guess is that the Christian Right is threatened by the fact that we as a nation are once again discovering ways to improve ourselves, to truly be E Pluribus Unum, to have the separations of Church and State. They don’t want to defend their freedoms. They want to take away the freedoms of others.

So when you are decorating your pagan tree this year and lighting up the Yule log and enjoying your Roman feast, all the while paying homage to Saturn and Thor, take a little time, put on a big smile, call Jerry Falwell and wish him a Happy Holiday season.